Computer users are able to access and share vast amounts of information through various local and wide area computer networks including proprietary networks as well as public networks such as the Internet. Typically, a web browser installed on a user's computing device facilitates access to and interaction with information located at various network servers identified by, for example, associated uniform resource locators (URLs). Conventional approaches to enable sharing of user-generated content include various information sharing technologies or platforms such as social networking websites. Such websites may include, be linked with, or provide a platform for applications enabling users to view web pages created or customized by other users where visibility and interaction with such pages by other users is governed by some characteristic set of rules.
Such social networking information, and most information in general, is typically stored in relational databases. Generally, a relational database is a collection of relations (frequently referred to as tables). Relational databases use a set of mathematical terms, which may use Structured Query Language (SQL) database terminology. For example, a relation may be defined as a set of tuples that have the same attributes. A tuple usually represents an object and information about that object. A relation is usually described as a table, which is organized into rows and columns. Generally, all the data referenced by an attribute are in the same domain and conform to the same constraints.
The relational model specifies that the tuples of a relation have no specific order and that the tuples, in turn, impose no order on the attributes. Applications access data by specifying queries, which use operations to identify tuples, identify attributes, and to combine relations. Relations can be modified and new tuples can supply explicit values or be derived from a query. Similarly, queries may identify tuples for updating or deleting. It is necessary for each tuple of a relation to be uniquely identifiable by some combination (one or more) of its attribute values. This combination is referred to as the primary key. In a relational database, all data are stored and accessed via relations. Relations that store data are typically implemented with or referred to as tables.
Relational databases, as implemented in relational database management systems, have become a predominant choice for the storage of information in databases used for, for example, financial records, manufacturing and logistical information, personnel data, and other applications. As computer power has increased, the inefficiencies of relational databases, which made them impractical in earlier times, have been outweighed by their ease of use for conventional applications. The three leading open source implementations are MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. The “M” in the acronym of the popular LAMP software stack refers to MySQL. Its popularity for use with web applications is closely tied to the popularity of PHP (the “P” in LAMP). Several high-traffic web sites use MySQL for data storage and logging of user data.
Using databases involves a series of messages that enable a database user to interact with a database. For example, a database transaction may involve messaging associated with setting up connections to a database, authentication, querying the database, switching databases, committing transactions to the database, and terminating connections with the database.